The local family of a woman who was once sentenced to death in Sudan for her religious beliefs is safe in Italy and will soon be returning to the United States.

The local family of a woman who was once sentenced to death in Sudan for her religious beliefs is safe in Italy and will soon be returning to the United States.

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Updated: 6:24 PM EDT Jul 24, 2014

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WEBVTT SUDAN. TONIGHT SHE'S FREE. ANDY HERSHBERGER SPOKE WITH HER RELATIVES. AS IBRAHIM AND HER CHILDREN HAVE FINALLY REACHED SAFETY, HER FAMILY HERE IN MANCHESTER IS GIVING THANKS. IT'S A SUDANESE CRY OF JOY FROM THE MOTHER-IN-LAW OF MERIAM IBRAHIM. THE MOTHER OF TWO, ONCE ON DEATH ROW IN SUDAN FOR REFUSING TO RENOUNCE HER CHRISTIANITY, IS NOW SAFE IN ITALY. IBRAHIM'S HUSBAND MANCHESTER RESIDENT DANIEL WANI IS WITH HER IN EUROPE. THEIR FAMILY HERE IN THE QUEEN CITY IS RELIEVED AND OVERJOYED. I'M HAPPY, SO I'M REALLY HAPPY. GABRIEL WANI SAID HE LEARNED OF MERIAM'S RELEASE BY PHONE FROM HIS BROTHER THIS MORNING. MY BROTHER CALLED ME AND I HEARD THAT IN THE NEWS, I KEEP CRYING, AND MY BROTHER SAY OKAY, I'M GOING TO CALL YOU BACK. IBRAHIM WAS ORIGINALLY SENTENCED TO DEATH, BUT THAT WAS OVERTURNED IN THE FACE OF INTERNATIONAL OUTRAGE LAST MONTH. ABOUT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY, IBRAHIM WAS DETAINED AGAIN, FOR ALLEGEDLY HAVING FORGED TRAVEL PAPERS. BUT ON THURSDAY, SHE WAS FINALLY RELEASED, FLOWN TO ITALY AND HAD A PERSONAL MEETING WITH THE POPE, WHO PLAYED WITH HER TWO YOUNG CHILDREN. I KNOW THAT THE DAY IS GOING TO COME, AND EVEN SOME PEOPLE PRAY FOR THAT, AND I THANK GOD FOR EVERYONE WHO PRAY FOR THAT AND GOD HEARD OUR PRAYERS AND EVERYTHING WENT WELL. HE SAYS THAT HIS BROTHER PROMISED TO OKAY HIM BACK SOON TO HOPEFULLY FINALIZE TRAVEL PLANS BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. DEFINITELY MY BROTHER GOING TO COME TO, HERE, BECAUSE I'M HERE, HIS FAMILY IS HERE. WANI SAYS HE DOESN'T KNOW WHEN THE COUPLE AND THEIR CHILDREN WILL BE LEAVING ITALY, BUT OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE ALL

Woman sentenced to death in Sudan safe in Italy

The local family of a woman who was once sentenced to death in Sudan for her religious beliefs is safe in Italy and will soon be returning to the United States.